The prototype for the week’s workshop is an 18th century icon of the Mother of God of Kazan, from the collection of the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven. The Kazan icon is one of the most popularly copied historical icons of the Mother of God, and attests to her compassion and power as mother, protector and intercessor.
The best way to learn any tradition is to walk the same path as those who knew it best. With icons, we copy ancient models using the same technique and materials. Layer by layer, we analyze a silent, anonymous master’s decisions, then embody the information as accurately as possible in our own work. The result is never a mechanical copy, nor are we trying to create a forgery. The iconographer Ksenia Pokrovsky emphasized “…a copy of an icon always creates a new icon”. In a similar fashion, classical musicians perform from the same scores, but the result is always their own music.
We will be working with the same materials and process as the original model – egg tempera with natural pigments on a gesso’d wood panel. Because of time constraints, the icon’s background will be painted, but the historical technique of fine line work with real gold leaf (called ‘assiste’ in Russian / ‘chrysography’ in Greek), applied with boiled beer glue, will be demonstrated; students will have the opportunity to apply it to their finished work.
Join world-renowned iconographer Marek Czarnecki for a traditional icon workshop. Discover the spiritual and technical artistry behind sacred image-making in this immersive experience. Whether you are a beginner or have prior experience, you will learn the ancient techniques of traditional iconography. painted will be This workshop offers a unique opportunity to learn from a master and connect with a rich, living tradition.
All materials and tools needed to complete an icon are provided. Students attending the workshop should arrive with basic brush skills, a familiarity with the color wheel, and experience mixing colors.
This week-long workshop will include five consecutive days of studio time. Check-in begins Sunday night at 4:30 PM, followed by dinner at 5:30 PM for students and instructors. Dinner will be followed by a workshop introduction and conference, ending at 9:00 PM. Hands-on instruction begins early Monday morning, and the last meal will be lunch on Friday. The art studio will be available on Friday afternoon to complete your icon.
